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The group of neck patients with altered reflexes is bigger than assumed.

Thus, other presently unknown factors cause the reflex alterations.

Maybe persistent sensorimotor disorders are a perpetuating factor.

Abstract

Background

Many chronic neck pain patients experience problems with vision. These problems are possibly induced by deviations of the eye stabilization reflexes. It is not known whether these eye reflex alterations occur both in traumatic and non-traumatic neck pain patients.

Objective

To investigate if the cervico-ocular reflex (COR) and the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) are changed in tertiary care patients with prolonged, chronic neck pain with various origin of complaints.

Design

Cross sectional study.

Methods

Ninety-one chronic neck pain patients were subdivided into three groups by origin of complaints, and compared with healthy controls. COR and VOR gains were measured with an infrared eye tracking device with the subject sitting on a rotating chair in a darkened room and with the head fixed.Results

Chronic neck pain patients, who already received primary care, still have an elevated cervico-ocular reflex. The origin of complaints did not seem to be associated with this deviant oculomotor behavior.